The Open Word (Audio)

There was a process that even Jesus went through before His ministry started. Today Pastor David, will remind us that in every process we must remember the timing is not in our hands but in the Lord’s hands. He also will teach us not to despise the process. We as Christians will be pulled from our comfort zone if we are living fully in surrender to the Lord. God desires for us to grow in our walk with Him. Therefore, we should ask ourselves regularly if we are growing in the Lord or if we are at a stand still.

In our lives we will go through many processes and it will be worth the outcome if we don’t give up before it is completed. Today Pastor David from The Open Word, will teach us and encourage us by looking closer at the processes Jesus walked through while on earth. What is God taking you through right now? Are you holding onto His truths as you journey through the process? Sometimes we may not care to or ask to go through the process but keeping our eyes focused on the Lord will help us during it all.

The story of Mary and Joseph is a great example that things may not always go as we plan, but that we can always trust that God is in control. How willing are we to allow God to take total control of our lives? In today’s edition of The Open Word, Pastor David will ask us some hard questions concerning who is truly lord of our lives. He will encourage us that surrendering our will to the Lord’s is the hardest thing to do but also the most rewarding thing to do in our lives.

Do we believe that God desires to move and work in our lives? We should be living our lives in anticipation that God will use us for His overall plan. Do we trust that God is sovereign over our lives, and that He has a plan for us? Today on The Open Word, Pastor David will teach us about how God uses ordinary people to accomplish His will. We will also learn that there are no coincidences in life but that God is always in control. God is willing and able to use us, when we are willing and able vessels.

Simeon wasn’t alone. We know there were more who lived with great anticipation for their coming Messiah. While the details remain largely unknown, we see the presence of a prophetess named Anna who lived with the same kind of anticipation. As Pastor David shares her blessed legacy, we see the way God uses the latter years of her life to proclaim the birth of JESUS, our Messiah. In the same way, we should look with great anticipation for the coming of the Lord for us in our generation.

Simeon was a devout man of God. And while little is revealed about who he actually was, we know that he was someone who lived with great anticipation. Simeon never lost sight of God’s promise and never stopped believing, even in the midst of a corrupt religious system. As Pastor David explains, we can learn much from this holy man of God named Simeon. While our religious system may miss the arrival of Messiah, we don’t have to. God’s promises are as sure to us as they were to Simeon.

Peace in only possible if it is received through the undeserved favor of God. According to the Scriptures, no man or woman who has ever experienced peace has ever done anything to deserve it. As Pastor David makes clear, the only way to receive the gift of peace that God offers to undeserving and sinful people is by accepting it as a gift of grace through faith in JESUS Christ. Any man or woman who believes in JESUS WILL receive the gift of peace made available to the heart of every fallen man.

Those who have been a believer in Christ for a decent amount of time are probably well aware of the ups and downs of faith. For many of us, we typically start off with a strong and fiery passion, only to find ourselves in a stagnant season. In today's message, Pastor David encourages us to reflect on our commitment to The Lord, and where we currently stand. If you've found yourself less passionate than when you first believed, this message will encourage you to take heart in God's faithfulness.

Whenever we read about Israel's journey to the promised land, we can easily compare it to the life of the Christian. From our bondage of sin, to God's deliverance and the trials that test our faith, we can quickly recognize a stark contrast. In today's edition of The Open Word, Pastor David uses this contrast to encourage us in our daily walk with The Lord. In our study, we're reminded of God's faithfulness and His promise to deliver us from life's challenges when we look to Him, and Him alone.

Whenever we overcome a life challenge or accomplish an amazing goal our natural tendency is to boast or even gloat. Whether we achieve a dream career or break a world record, we can all struggle with pride from time to time. Unfortunately, this form of pride can just as easily slip into the hearts of those that serve God. In today's study, Pastor David teaches us to be careful when it comes to pride. Using Joshua as an example, Pastor David draws our attention to how Joshua gave the glory that was due to God.